Find out how popular the first name Erika has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Erika by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Erika is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Erika being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 237 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Erika.

The history of the first name Erika

The name Erika is a feminine given name of German origin, derived from the ancient Germanic name Eirīk, which itself is composed of the elements "ai" (ever, always) and "rik" (ruler, mighty). The name can be traced back to the 9th century, with early recorded instances found in various medieval texts and records.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Erika the Unifier, a 10th-century Frankish noblewoman who played a pivotal role in the unification of the Duchy of Saxony. Her life and deeds were chronicled in the "Annals of Quedlinburg Abbey," a historical document from the era.

In the 12th century, the name gained popularity in the Germanic regions, particularly in what is now modern-day Germany and Austria. It was during this period that the name Erika appeared in the "Nibelungenlied," one of the most significant epics of medieval German literature.

As the centuries passed, the name continued to be used across various parts of Europe, with notable bearers including Erika von Braunschweig (1307-1384), a German noblewoman and landowner, and Erika von Erbach (1472-1539), a German abbess and reformer.

In more recent history, the name Erika has been associated with several influential figures, such as Erika Mann (1905-1969), a German writer and political activist, and Erika Steinbach (born 1943), a German politician and former member of the Bundestag.

Other notable individuals named Erika include Erika Bourguignon (1924-2015), an American anthropologist known for her work on gender studies and cross-cultural research, and Erika Enders (born 1975), a German Olympic swimmer who won multiple medals in the 1990s.

While the name Erika has its roots in the Germanic language and culture, it has since gained popularity across various regions and ethnic groups, transcending its original geographic boundaries and becoming a widely recognized and appreciated name worldwide.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Erika was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Erika, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!